I just purchased a new Hobie Cat 16 and I am looking for either lessons or some general advice since I am a beginner in Northern Michigan. I rented a Hobie Cat Wave this past Spring and found it to be rather simple to use but now that I have purchased a Hobie Cat 16 I found there are more things to understand as to how to use it than a Wave.

1.) What are the best settings for the side stay adjuster holes? Currently I have them at the 5th holes from the top of the stay adjusters.

2.) What is the best setting for the front Forestay Bridle Adjuster hole? Currently I have it at the 4th hole from the top of the adjuster.

3.) Currently my mast seems to be raked back quite far in looking at it.

4.) Is the Jib sail always required to be used? I have seen some Hobie's that don't have a Jib sail.

5.) Any advice as to how to attach and raise both sails would be great.

6.) I don't have the trapeze wires currently installed on the Hobie since I don't plan on using them at this point. Which out these I found it difficult to pull the side cables down into the side stay adjuster holes. Any suggestions on how to do this without the trapeze wires would be great.

7.) Suggestions on how to make sure that my block set has the ropes run through it correctly would be great.

I appreciate any advice that someone is willing to provide. Thank You!

I start by check the shackle at the bottom of the forestay.....every single time we sail.

Then attach the head of the jib to the jib halyard and secure the tack to the shackle at the bottom of the forestay, plus threading the plastic jib hank onto the forestay.I do not raise the jib any further at this point, just leave it attached, and ready for hoisting.

Because the camber of the main sail does not match the straight mast, always raise the main first.You'll find it easier to raise as the main will 'bind' if there is any tension in the rig.

Point the H16 into the wind, have one person 'feed' the mainsail into the slot while you pull on the halyard.This is one reason we always wear sailing gloves.If there is no crew, make sure the mainsail is lined up properly so that it can 'feed' itself....expect hiccups without a helper.The boltrope and the slot for the mainsail should always be clean and smooth.Silicone spray can help if you find there is binding.

Crew or helpers are also useful to lift up the boom, which will help you as you haul away on the halyard.Once the mainsail is up, snug the halyard stopper (where the wire joins the rope part of the halyard) under the fork at the (front) top of the mast. In other words, the main sail 'hangs' from the top of the mast.Tidy up and coil the loose halyard and secure it to the horn cleat at the bottom of the mast.

Then raise the jib, which 'tensions' the rig. If yours is an older Hobie, use the pulleys on the side of the mast to obtain maximum tension.If yours is a newer Hobie, use the Aussie halyard system to get proper tension.Tidy up and secure the halyard to the horn cleat etc. Be careful that the clew plate of the jib does not smack you in the face as the wind blows around. Don't ask how I know this.

When you are ready to launch, point the boat 15 degrees off the wind at the water's edge, thread the mainsheet/traveler, with figure 8 knot, secure (and test) the jib sheets to the clew plate, keep them loose, and then attach the main sheet blocks to the traveler. Check your PFD, set the jib sheets, put one foot on the H16, sheet in the main, jump on and GO. Remember to lock down your rudders once you are in deep enough water.

Comments welcome....I left out the part about reeving the mainsheet.....can others chime in?

_________________2015 H16, with spin,SOLD 1989 Hobie SX18 Sail # 1947 "In Theory..."'Only two things are infinite, the universe, and human stupidity. But I'm not sure about the former.'

Show up in Muskegon Michigan next weekend the 28th & 29th. CRAM will be there and have a bunch of 16 sailors there. They can help you out. If you want to sail, well you can. If you want to start racing they are a bunch of good guys that will help you out around the course. Your first regatta in CRAM is free. Good group of people to get to know.

I don't have the trapeze wires currently installed on the Hobie since I don't plan on using them at this point. With out these I found it difficult to pull the side cables down into the side stay adjuster holes. Any suggestions on how to do this without the trapeze wires would be great.

I am not sure if I can make it out to meet the CRAM group this weekend in Muskegon but that area is not far from me so I would sure like to meet up with them to at first observe how they rig and operate their Hobie's . Do they have a FaceBook or other group site which would provide location and time details?

I am planning on getting back to the lake where my Hobie is next weekend and I will continue applying the useful information that everyone has provided.

I stress to everyone who is new to the Hobie 16 to watch Matt Miller's instructional rigging video for the Hobie 16. It can be found on YouTube and has a wealth of information and will help you to set up your boat more easily.

It sounds like your are connecting the shrouds after the mast is up. Why? Once you select the position you want and connect the shrouds, then raise the mast. In almost 30 years of sailing my H-16 I can't even remember when I disconnected them. I didn't race so I wasn't fine tuning for performance. After lowering the mast, I would curl them up and tie them to the tramp for trailering without disconnecting. They were then already attached for the next time I raised the mast.

+1^^^ what he said. I leave mine set in whatever hole, but I detached them from the side anchors and coil them up for trailering. Before stepping the mast, I attach the shrouds, only having to deal with one pin on each side makes set up fairly easy. I dont usually rig my boat on the trailer, I like to be on the ground when setting things up or I would probably just leave the shrouds attached all the time.

To me, the shroud adjuster position depends on what I'm doing. If I'm pleasure sailing with my kids, I put them at the top so the mast goes way forward. That way the boom is nice and high. Performance, who cares?

Racing it goes back to whatever position is right for the conditions.

I don't detach them for trailering. I loop them over the mast support and then slide the mast back enough to take the slack out. Easier to do than describe, but it completely does away with the need to manage them for travel. Trap lines run with them and all I have to do is keep it from flapping around too much (I use the jib traveler lines for that).

My mast-up routine (two people) is that I'm on the boat with the shrouds attached. Helper is at the mast head (astern) and walks the mast up at me, I lift from the rear crossbar while the helper clears the shrouds and trap wires from catching on the aft corner castings, then as I walk forward and fully raise the mast the helper goes forward and attaches the forestay. Then I pull the pin out of the step link. The mast might be really floppy at this point but the jib halyard tension takes care of that.

First of all, congrats on your new Hobie! What color sails did you get!? I just bought a 2019 boat a month ago. This is my first summer on the Hobie 16 and I have been crewing for a friend who is a great helmsman and experienced racer. We’ve been in 4 or 5 regattas this season and have learned a ton from other folks in the hobie community. Such a great and welcoming group of people with a wealth of knowledge. Division 4 in the PNW rocks!

My first recommendation would be to go to the Hobie events and start chatting with people. There are a ton of minor tweaks that can help the 16 sail better and faster. Show up with a new boat and you are going to get a ton of free advice.

My second piece of advice is get those Trapeze wires hooked up and get some harnesses! Trapping out is the funnest part of sailing the 16, for the crew and helmsman.

Check out Joseph Bennett’s videos on the Joyrider TV channel on YouTube. Tons of awesome well made instructional videos. I’ve learned so much there. Start by watching the videos on righting the boat when you capsize, because you will capsize! Don’t be afraid of it, it can be very manageable getting the boat back up if you know the right techniques.

Now to your questions:

1.) What are the best settings for the side stay adjuster holes? Currently I have them at the 5th holes from the top of the stay adjusters.

These settings will change depending on your total crew weight and the wind conditions. Being up or down one hole can make a big difference in the mast rake when the jib halyard is fully tensioned. Watch the Joyrider TV vids on rig tuning.

2.) What is the best setting for the front Forestay Bridle Adjuster hole? Currently I have it at the 4th hole from the top of the adjuster.

Doesn’t really matter. All the forestay does is hold the mast up when the jib isn’t on. I usually put mine in the top hole when stepping the mast.

3.) Currently my mast seems to be raked back quite far in looking at it.

yup the new boats are designed with tons of mast rake, just like the Wave. Raking the mast back so that you can get the mainsheet tight block to block will help you depower the sail in heavier wind. In light wind you can bump the shrouds up a hole and add jib halyard tension to reduce rake. Use two pins at once in the shroud eye. That way you can bump them up and down and always have one in place so that you can’t accidentally lose the shroud and drop the mast.

4.) Is the Jib sail always required to be used? I have seen some Hobie's that don't have a Jib sail. use the jib

5.) Any advice as to how to attach and raise both sails would be great.I raise my jib first. That’s what most of the other racers are doing...I just copy them

6.) I don't have the trapeze wires currently installed on the Hobie since I don't plan on using them at this point. Which out these I found it difficult to pull the side cables down into the side stay adjuster holes. Any suggestions on how to do this without the trapeze wires would be great.

with two people you can use the main halyard to pull on the mast to pull the shroud down to the desired hole. But put your traps on! Also use two pins like I mentioned before.

7.) Suggestions on how to make sure that my block set has the ropes run through it correctly would be great.Look at this image for the sheet routing through the block.